The vacation months always bring lots of articles about how to prepare your beach rental property for guests, with advice that prioritizes fluffy robes and towels, professional cleaning and sachets. All that is nice, but you have to have the basics covered, and that means tackling the mold and insect invasions that are ever-present on the Texas coast.
In my travels from Bolivar to South Padre Island, I carry a bug zapper like this one to avoid having to spray noxious-smelling insect repellent inside the units I rent. This is a Flowtron BK-40D outdoor unit with a range of one acre. If you place it atop the fridge, it will keep the armies of coastal bugs from invading your space and stay out of reach of curious children or pets.
Mold and the smell it creates are another persistent problem on the Texas coast — especially in properties that have window air-conditioners. Installing a quality dehumidifier that drains into a shower or sink is the easiest, most cost-effective way to keep mold from cropping up in your air conditioning ducts or bathrooms while the unit sits unoccupied. Since dry air cancels mold propagation, keep the dehumidifier running instead of the air conditioners. A good dehumidifier can boost an older air conditioner’s output with the “chill effect” of drier air during the heat of summer. You can monitor the interior humidity — keep it at around 50 to 60 percent — with this handy, inexpensive monitor. Then fluff the towels and linen, put out the diffusers and hang your “For Rent” sign.